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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. staff — employees
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. land — a country
  5. saw — the tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — in control
  15. land — ground
  16. saw — the tool
  17. land — to come down
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. can — a tin
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cap — of ice
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — of the leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com